1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive system for accessing a disc-shaped storage medium such as an optical disk and, more particularly, to a disk drive system enabling access not only to a disk-shaped storage medium but also to a small-sized storage medium such as smart media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a wide variety of devices have been presented using so-called smart media (SSFDC: solid state floppy disk card) as recording media.
The smart media are light-weight (2 g) and thin small-sized (length: 45 mm, width: 37 mm, height: 0.76 mm) flush memory cards which have a simple structure and are easy to carry to allow the use as a removable storage medium for a portable information terminal such as a digital camera.
In addition, the smart media are suitable for helping making these applied products smaller and have excellent portability allowing themselves put between leaves of a pocket notebook or a pass-case to carry.
Data writing and reading of smart media is conducted by connecting an access device for smart media not only to a digital electronic still camera and a portable information terminal but also to a personal computer etc. or by means of an adapter through a slot of a PC card.
Connecting an access device for external attachment to a personal computer, however, needs a space for the device and a connection code, as well as costing labor for the connection. In addition, it has such a shortcoming as larger electric power consumption than that consumed for an internally provided device.
Moreover, internally providing an access device for smart media has such a drawback as that the size and cost of a main body of a personal computer are increased because an information apparatus such as a personal computer has a limited installation space for internally mounting a device. Also as to a slot for a PC card, since it is scarcely mounted on standard desk-top personal computers for the same reason, use of a PC card requires an access device for the PC card to be added.
Technique directed to solving these conventional problems is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3060055. Making use of the fact that in many desk-top personal computers, an FDD drive is installed using an installation space (bay) for a peripheral equipment provided at the front of the main body, the art recited in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3060055 proposes a composite FDD device in which a drive for smart media is internally provided in an FDD drive and an insertion slot of a floppy disk and an insertion slot of smart media are provided together on the upper and lower sides.
As described in the foregoing, conventional techniques have the following problems.
Although a dedicated device for accessing smart media is conventionally installed by external attachment to a personal computer or provision within the same, the installation occupies a space for putting the personal computer or a free space within the main body of the personal computer because the dedicated device should be provided together with other disk drive devices. In a case where a dedicated device for accessing a smart media is installed later, it will be difficult to ensure an installation space in an information apparatus such as a personal computer in many cases.
On the other hand, according to the related art disclosed in the above-described Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3060055, although a drive for smart media is contained in an FDD drive, the FDD drive has a dedicated specification different from that of an ordinary FDD drive. Therefore, it is impossible to replace the FDD drive with an ordinary FDD drive and install the same with ease. Moreover, access is made by inserting smart media one by one to deteriorate efficiency.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-described shortcomings of conventional techniques and to provide a disk drive system realizing reduction in a device installation space in an information apparatus such as a personal computer by allowing a space for a disk drive to make access to both optical disk media and smart media.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk drive system which realizes a smart media changer function through attachment of a plurality of smart media, thereby efficiently accessing a plurality of smart media.
According to one aspect of the invention, a disk drive system including a disk-shaped disk storage medium and a disk drive for accessing the disk storage medium, comprises
a media cartridge of the same shape as that of the disk storage medium to which not less than one small-sized storage medium is attachable, wherein
the disk drive includes
access means for accessing the small-sized storage medium mounted on the media cartridge.
In the preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided, and
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium, and
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw.
In another preferred construction, the disk drive includes:
a disk rotation shaft for rotating the media cartridge and the disk storage medium at a predetermined rotation speed,
a disk storage medium access unit for executing access to the disk storage medium,
an access unit for executing access to the small-sized storage medium mounted on the media cartridge, and
identification means for identifying an attached media as the media cartridge or the disk storage medium.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium, and
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw, and
the disk drive includes:
a disk rotation shaft for rotating the media cartridge and the disk storage medium at a predetermined rotation speed,
a disk storage medium access unit for executing access to the disk storage medium,
an access unit for executing access to the small-sized storage medium mounted on the media cartridge, and
identification means for identifying an attached media as the media cartridge or the disk storage medium.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge includes a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw, and
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, the disk drive includes
a disk rotation shaft for rotating the media cartridge and the disk storage medium at a predetermined rotation speed,
a disk storage medium access unit for executing access to the disk storage medium,
an access unit for executing access to the small-sized storage medium mounted on the media cartridge, and
identification means for identifying an attached media as the media cartridge or the disk storage medium, and
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw,
the disk drive includes:
a disk rotation shaft for rotating the media cartridge and the disk storage medium at a predetermined rotation speed,
a disk storage medium access unit for executing access to the disk storage medium,
an access unit for executing access to the small-sized storage medium mounted on the media cartridge, and
identification means for identifying an attached media as the media cartridge or the disk storage medium, and
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the media cartridge includes:
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
four of the attachment units,
each the attachment unit being located at every angle of 90 degrees relative to the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw, and
the media cartridge includes:
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
four of the attachment units,
each the attachment unit being located at every angle of 90 degrees relative to the center of the media cartridge.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes
identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes
identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit,
each the identification unit being composed of
a combination of a plurality of terminals, and
the identification means individually identifying
each the attachment unit based on the combination of terminals.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw,
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes
identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit,
each the identification unit being composed of
a combination of a plurality of terminals, and
the identification means individually identifying
each the attachment unit based on the combination of terminals.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw,
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit,
each the identification unit being composed of
a predetermined pattern, and
the identification means being composed of
means for optically reading the pattern to individually identify the attachment unit.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge, and
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes
identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit,
the identification unit forming
the information which individually identifies each the attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of the media cartridge, and
the identification means individually identifying
each the attachment unit based on a difference in the physical configuration.
In another preferred construction, in the media cartridge, a unit to be detected for the position detection of the small-sized storage medium is provided,
on the disk drive side, position detection means for detecting the unit to be detected of the media cartridge is provided,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the media cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
the position detection means being structured by
a micro-switch for sensing a contact by the claw,
the media cartridge includes
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the media cartridge,
each the attachment unit including
an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit, and
the disk drive includes
identification means for identifying each the attachment unit by the identification unit,
the identification unit forming
the information which individually identifies each the attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of the media cartridge, and
the identification means individually identifying
each the attachment unit based on a difference in the physical configuration.
In another preferred construction, the small-sized storage medium is a smart media.
In another preferred construction, the disk drive is an optical disk drive and the disk is an optical disk.
According to another aspect of the invention, a media cartridge
formed to have the same shape as that of a disk storage medium mounted on a disk drive for accessing the disk storage medium, and
comprising not less than one attachment unit for holding the small-sized storage medium so as to be accessible by access means provided at the disk drive.
In the preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the cartridge.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium, and
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the cartridge.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium,
a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which the small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,
each the attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of the cartridge, and
four of the attachment units,
each the attachment unit being located at every angle of 90 degrees relative to the center of the cartridge.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive, wherein
each the attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit by identification means of the disk drive.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium, wherein
each the attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit by identification means of the disk drive.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive,
the unit to be detected being composed of
claws provided on a disk surface of the cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of the small-sized storage medium, wherein
each the attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit by identification means of the disk drive,
each the identification unit being composed of a combination of a plurality of terminals.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive, wherein
each the attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit by identification means of the disk drive,
each the identification unit being composed of a predetermined pattern optically read by the identification means of the disk drive to identify the attachment unit.
In another preferred construction, the media cartridge further comprises
a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of the small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of the disk drive, wherein
each the attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each the attachment unit by identification means of the disk drive,
the identification unit forming
the information individually identifying each the attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of the cartridge.
In another preferred construction, the small-sized storage medium is a smart media.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the detailed description given herebelow.